mée iudging mée according vnto the same I were not able to suffer or abide it but must needes perish and be damned for euer So little helpe comfort or sucour is there either in me or in any other creature whatsoeuer Only this is my cōfort O heauenly father the thou diddest not spare thy only dearely beloued Son but diddest giue him vp vnto the most bitter most vile and slaunderous death of the Crosse for mee that so hee might in his obedience pay the ransome for my sinnes satisfie thy iudgement still and pacifie thy wrath recōcile mée vnto thée againe purchase mée thy grace and fauour and euerlāsting life Wherefore through the merites of his most bitter death and passion through his innocent bloudshedding I beséech thee O heauenly Father that thou wilt vouchsafe to bee gracious mercifull vnto mee to forgiue and pardon me all my sinnes to lighten my heart with thy holy Spirit to renew confirme and strengthen mee with a right and stedfast faith and to enflame mee in loue towardes thee and my neighbour for thy sake that I may henceforth with a willing and a glad heart walke as it becommeth mee in the obedience of thy most godly and most blessed Commandements and so glorifie and praise thée euerlastingly and also that I may with a frée conscience a quiet spirit in al manner of temptations afflictions and necessities and euen in the very pangs of death boldly faithfully say I beleeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate Was crucified dead and buried Hée descended into hell The third day hée rose againe from the dead Hee ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie from thence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholike Church The communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie And the life euerlasting Amen But O Lord heauenly Father to comfort my selfe in afflictions temptations with the assured féeling of these Articles of the Christiā faith it is not in my power for faith is thy gift And therefore forasmuch as thou wilt be praied vnto and called vpon for it I come vnto thée to pray and beséech thée both for that for al my other necessities bodily and spirituall euen as thy dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe hath taught vs and from the very bottome of my heart I cry and say vnto thée Our Father which art in heauē halowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will bée done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dailie bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen vnto the lappe of thy pitie For loe thou art my hope and trust in whom I onely repose my selfe hauing in thee ful confidence and faith so that now I may say with a very faithfull heart trusting in thy mercie I beléeue in thee O God the Father in thee O God the Sonne and in thee O God the holy Ghost thrée persons and one true and also verie God besides whom I acknowledge none other God in heauen aboue nor in earth beneath And yet I poore sinner cannot but accuse my selfe vnto thee deare Father that I haue fore and grieuously offended thy almightie goodnesse and Maiestie in the committing of mine exceeding grieuous and manifold sins and wickednes For I haue not kept the least of thy most godly and blessed commaundementes like as thy righteousnes may require indéed doth demād the same of me I haue not I say honoured thee like my God dread thée like my Lord loued thée like my father nor trusted in thee like my creator my sauiour Thy holy and dreadful name vnto which al glory honour belongeth haue I vsed in vaine I haue not sanctified the Sabboth day with workes which bee acceptable to thée nor instructed my neighbour in vertue accordingly I haue not honored my parents nor bin obedient vnto thē through whom as by an instrumēt thou hast wrought my comming into this world The high powers and rulers which receiue authoritie of thee I haue not willingly obeyed I haue not kept my heart pure and cleane from malice and manslaughter yea had not thy grace and mercy defended mee the better I should haue committed the verie deede also I likewise am not pure from theft nor from adulterie nor frō false witnesse bearing but haue in my heart and mind wished and desired my nighbours goods and thinges I haue followed the great Prince of this Worlde Sathan which hath been a lyer from the beginning in concupiscence of the flesh in pride of liuing in deceiptfulnes in lecherie in hatred and also enuie in backbiting in despaire and also misbeléefe And as I haue abused my will vnderstanding which are faculties and powers of my soule so my senses also which thou hast giuen mee to vse to thy glorie and my neighbours good and mine own lawfull delight I haue misused and mispent in hearing séeing smelling tasting and feeling also things that I should not or else suffring thē to be too violētly caried to things I might haue vsed But in what manner soeuer that I haue offended and sinned against thy eternall Maiestie for no man knoweth throughly his sinnes as the Prophet witnesseth whether it hath béen by day or else by night yea euen from my childhood vnto this day were it in workes wordes or thoughts secretly or openly O my mercifull God I am sorie for it euen from the very bottome of my heart yea my soule mourneth for very sorowe most mercifull Father that I am not a thousand times more sorie than I am howbeit in token of great repentance though all hearts bée knowne well enough vnto thée I doe knocke strike my breast and say in bitternesse of heart and soule Lord GOD the Father Sonne and holy Ghost haue mercie Spare mee of thine infinite mercie deare Lord now and all the daies of my life let me bee made partakers of thine abundant grace in such sort that I may chaunge my sinfull life and put thou out of mee the olde man with al his concupisences and lustes graunting mee grace dayly to die vnto the world and that the world may bée crucified vnto mee and I so dayly goe forward in newnes of life Strengthen mee O Lord in a true humble heart in sound loue hope and trust in thée giue my soule grace to desire in thée onely to reioyce and repose my selfe that I may vtterly renounce and forsake the vaine assistance of this world so that thou mayst finde me readie to méete
wretchednesse faithfully to call for helpe of thée Yea good Lord giue me grace to order my life and the workes of my body soule with actuall intent to please thée that through thy merites and mercie at the end I may obtaine the reward of thy infinite ioy and eternall felicitie Let the water and bloud which can from thy blessed heart bee powerfull to wash my soule from sinne and iniquitie and to purchase mee abundāce of thy grace faithfully to serue thée O my Lord my might my life my light lead me féede me and spéede me in the pilgrimage of this mortalitie graunt me O Lord by the merits of thy passion and power of thy most excellent and glorious godhead whatsoeuer thy Wisedome knoweth most expediēt for me which howsoeuer in my miserable life I am most vnworthy of yet vouchsafe them vnto me all the time of my pilgrimage but specially at the houre of death when I shall be accused before thée haue mercie on mee breake my froward heart and make it obedient to thée Preserue me also good Lord from sodaine and vnprouided death and of thy owne singular grace and goodnesse graunt mee these supplications in this prayer which now I haue made to thée according to thy will Yea by thine owne mediation purchase for mee and bestow vpon mee a holy life and blessed ending and grant I beséech thée after my bodily death euerlasting life with endlesse blisse and felicitie thorow thy merites and bitter passion O Lord Iesu who with the Father and the holy Spirit liuest and raignest euer one God world without end Holy Trinitie one very God haue mercie on me Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord Iesu Christ O My soueraigne Lord Iesu the very sonne of almightie God and of the most cleane and glorious virgin Marie who sufferedst bitter death for my sake and all mankind and diddest rise againe the third day I beseech thée Lord haue mercie vpon me that am a wretched sinner but yet thy creature and for thy precious passion saue mee and kéepe me from al perils bodily and ghostly and specially from all things that might turne to thy displeasure And with all my heart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for thy great mercies that thou hast shewed me in the great dangers that I haue béen in as well in my soule as in my body and that thy grace and endlesse mercie hath euer kept me spared me and saued me from the houre of my birth to this present time For these I say and al other thy mercies I humblie thanke thée Lord Iesus Christ further desiring thée that thy mercie may preserue me alway And I crie thée mercie with all my whole heart for my great offences for my great vnkindnes for all my wretched and sinfull life and for this in particular that I haue not or cannot leade my selfe as becommeth thy seruant I thanke thée also with all my heart my most gracious Lord for the benefites and graces that thou hast giuen mee so largely in this world afore many other of thy creatures vpon whom if it had béene so thy good pleasure thou mightest a thousand times better haue bestowed them than vpon me But most gracious Lord I wot and knowledge verily that it commeth of thée wherefore with all my heart I thanke thee continually crying and saying all honour praise and glorie bee vnto thée O Iesu with the Father and the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen Another prayer for an householder O Lord GOD almightie most mercifull and heauenly father thorough Christ I fréely confesse that thou art my life my soule and my bodie yea al the good which I haue and all whatsoeuer is mine hast thou giuen vnto me that of thine owne singular grace and goodnes Now sith of thee I haue receiued it and in me there is corruption to abuse it make vpright and order thou O Lord God of heauen all that is in my house And teach mee and mine to handle and guide all these outward things after thy godlie will we being thereby more and more prouoked to loue thée and in thée and for thée euery one of vs to profit another I say vnto thée I beléeue Lorde helpe my vnbeléefe And yet in this weakenes I cannot but intreate thée not to forsake me nor my wife my children nor any of my householde Defend vs Lord from sin before thée from shame in the world and from sicknes in our selues according to thy good pleasure Send vs thy holy Angell to guide and guarde vs that so wee may be defended in the whole course of our liues and may be lead forth the right way so as we may not talke doe or thinke any thought against thy holy commaundements and will but thereafter to liue worshipping thée and praising thée for euermore thorough Christ Iesus our Lord thy onely welbeloued Sonne Amen Blessed be the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Let vs praise him and exalt him world without end Amen An other Prayer ALmightie GOD our heauenly Father in Iesus Christ wée vnfeinedly confesse before thée that thy mercie and goodnes towards vs is infinite and without measure It is thy mercie and no goodnes that is in vs or of vs which mooued thée to send into the worlde thine onely begotten and eternall Sonne to take our nature vpon him and therein to worke the mysterie of our redemption and saluation as thou hadst appointed and spoken before by the mouthes of all thy Prophets which were from the beginning And likewise it was thy blessed will thy mercie and goodnes towardes vs that thy heauenly Sonne did suffer persecution trouble and aduersitie was betraied of his owne friend and disciple Iudas traiterously taken caried awaie to bée falsly accused and vniustly condemned to bee cruelly beaten scourged and finally with most scornefull rebukes to be put to the most painfull shamefull death that could bée deuised All this O heauenly Father was doone through thy mercy and blessed will for our sakes that not only to answere and satisfie thy iust wrath and anger which we had deserued and dayly doe deserue both for the offences of our first parents our actuall transgressing of thy holy commādements but also to restore vs againe to thy grace and fauour to indue vs with thy heauenly gifts that wée might serue thée in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life And finally to make vs by the benefite of thy dearely beloued Sonnes passion and also through the price of his most precious bloud partners with him of his infinite and vnspeakeable glory and blisse in heauen Wherefore O heauenly Father wee béeséech thée powre vppon vs thy holy spirit and make vs in our hearts clearely to sée comfortably to féele and most stedfastly to beléeue this thine infinit gracious goodnes shewed and giuen vnto vs in thine owne sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ and with this beliefe make vs to put all our confidence and hope
patience in trouble HOw hast thou O Lord humbled and plucked me downe I dare now vnneath make my prayers vnto thée for thou art angrie with me but not without my deseruing Certainely I haue sinned Lord I will coÌ„fes it I wil not deny it But O god pardoÌ„ my trespasses relese my debts make me to féele again and the effectually continually also thy grace within me stop my wounds for I am all to plagued and beaten yet Lord this notwithstanding I do abide patiently and giue my attendaÌ„ce on thée coÌ„tinually waiting for helpe at thy hands that not without som knowledge beléefe of thy truth for I haue receiued a token of thy fauour and grace towardes mée I meane thy word of promise concerning Christ who for me was offered on the Crosse for a ransome sacrifice and price for my sins Wherfore according to that thy promise defend mee Lord by thy right hand and giue a gracious eare to my requestes bee thou my stay in perils for all mens stayes are but vaine Beate downe therefore my enemies thine own selfe with thy power which art mine onely ayd and protector O Lord God almighty Amen The humble confession of Iob in his most grieuous aduersitie and losse of goods children and all Iob. 1. NAked I came out of my Mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe the Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done now blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen In great trouble of conscience Psal 143. LOrd heare my prayer receiue my supplication hearken to my plaint for thy righteousnes Trie not the law with thy seruants for truly then shal no liuing man be found vnguiltie yea not one of the saints should escape quit at the bar vnlesse thou graunt him thy gracious pardon in so much as the very starres be not pure and faulties before thée in the Angels thou foundedst sin O Lord mine enemies grieuously hunt my soule they beate driue it downe they thrust it into darke dungeons where felloÌ„s conuict and condemned to death were wont to be kept my spirit is sorowfull my heart is heauy sad within my breast to thée I hold vp my hands requiring thee of mercie For like as the dry ground longeth for a shower of raine so my soule thinketh long til it hath thy help and succour heare mee therefore spéedily if thou do not I am in despaire my spirit is all weary of this bondage I haue bidden my life fare well Wherefore O God hyde not thy face that I bee not likened to those that be hurled into the pit of damnation after this night of miserie ouerpassed let the pleasant morning of comfort graciously shine vppon mee that betimes I may heare and féele thy goodnes for in thée is al my trust point me the way that I shall walke in for if thou bee not my guide I must néedes wander and stray out of the way To thée Lord I lift vp my soule and that with all mine heart I beséech thée take mee foorth of mine enemies handes Thou onely art my succour and sauegard teach me to worke whatsoeuer shall be thy pleasure for thou art my God let thy good spirite conduct mée into the land of the liuing raise vp my spirite within mee for thy names sake bring me foorth of all these troubles for thy righteousnes deliuer mee destroy mine enemies as thou art gracious fauourable towards me Those that wil worke me any sorrow or griefe pluck foorth of the way for I am thy seruaÌ„t for thy sake suffer I al this hurly burly As thou art God almighty and most mercifull so helpe thou me thy vnworthy seruant who stand in neede of al supportation from thee A prayer in aduersity O Lord God without whose will and pleasure a sparrow doth not fall on the ground seeing it is thy wil and blessed ordinaÌ„ce that I should be in this miserie and aduersitie seeing also thou dost punish mee with aduersitie not to destroy and cast me away but to call me to repentance and saue me for whom thou dost loue him dost thou chasten Furthermore séeing affliction aduersitie worketh patieÌ„ce who so patieÌ„tly heareth tribulatioÌ„ is made like vnto our Sauiour Christ our head Finally séeing that in all trubulation and aduersitie wee are in assurance of comfort at thy gracious hands for thou commandest mee to call vpon thée in the time of tribulation hast promised to heare and succour me graunt me therfore O almighty God and mercifull father in al trouble and aduersitie generally and euen in this particularlie to bee quiet without discouragement and patient without distrustfulnes that so I may haue grace to praise and magnifie thée and to put my whole trust and confidence in thee because thou neuer forsakest them that trust in thee-but workest all for the best to them that loue thee and seeke the glorie of thy name To thee be glorie for euer Amen A thanksgiuing and prayer also to be vsed in the time of prosperitie I Giue thankes vnto thee O God almighty which not onely hast endued mee with the giftes of nature as reason power and strength but also hast plenteously giuen me the substance of this worlde I acknowledge O Lord that these are thy giftes and confesse with the holy Apostle Saint Iames that there is no perfect nor good gift but it commeth froÌ„ thee O Father of light which giuest freely and castest no man in the téeth yea I further in particular acknowledge with the Prophet Aggeus that gold and siluer is thine and to whom it pleaseth thee thou giuest it to the godly that they may be thy disposers distributers thereof and to the vngodly to heape vp their damnation withall Wherefore sith I feele in mine owne heart an inclination to abuse these as other good things I cannot but humblie beseech and desire thée most mercifull God and louing father to frame in mee with thy holy spirite a faithfull heart and ready hand to distribute these thy gifts according to thy pleasure that so I may not lay vp treasure here where théeues may rob and moathes corrupt but may lay vp treasure in thy heauenly kingdome where neither théeues may steale nor moathes corrupt and that onely to mine owne comfort whom of thy mercie thou hast promised to rewarde therefore neither yet alone to the good example of the humble and meeke of thy congregation but also to the glorie of thy name to whom bee all honor and praise world without ende Amen The prayer of Manasses King of Iuda O Lord almightie God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of the iust seede of them which hast made heauen and earth with all the ornaments thereof which â—ast ordained the sea by the word of thy commaundement which hast shut vppe the déepe and hast sealed it for thy fearefull and laudable name dreaded of all men and honorable before the face of thy power the
weaknes of my flesh bée not ouercome with the feare of death or any other temptation whatsoeuer Yea graunt me mercifull Sauiour I humbly beséech thee that when death hath shut vp the eyes of my bodie yet that the eyes of my soule may still beholde and looke vpon thée and may assuredly féele thée in my selfe for my selfe to bee the mightie conqueror of death and the deuil sinne and hell and all other enemies of mine whatsoeuer so that when death hath taken away the vse of my tongue and spéech yet that my heart may cry and say vnto thée O Lord into thy hands I giue and commend my spirit Lord Iesus receiue my soule vnto thée Amen The prayer of Salomon for to obtaine wisedome 1 King 2. THOU hast shewed Lord vnto thy seruant Dauid my Father great mercie when hee walked in thy sight in truth and iustice and in vprightnes of heart with thée Thou shewest vnto him thy great mercie and gauest him a sonne sitting vpon his throne as it is at this day And now Lord God thou hast made thy seruant to raigne in the roome of Dauid my Father I am a very babe and know not how to goe out and in And thy seruant is in the middest of an infinite number which thou hast chosen which cannot bee numbred nor counted for multitude Wherefore giue to thy seruant an heart apt to bee taught and full of vnderstanding to iudge thy people that I may discerne betwéene good and bad For who is able to iudge this thy mightie people A prayer for obtaining of wisdome Sapient 9. GOd of our fathers and Lord of mercie thou hast made all things with thy word and ordained man through thy wisedome that hee should haue dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made that hee should order the world according vnto equitie and righteousnes and execute iudgement with a true heart giue mee wisedome which is euer among the children of Israel For I thy seruant and sonne of thy handmaide am a féeble person of a short time and too young to the vnderstanding of thy iudgements and though a man bee neuer so perfect among the children of men yet if thy wisedome be not with him he shall be nothing worth Oh send thy wisedome out of thy holy heauens and from the throne of thy Maiestie that she may be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sight for she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things and she shall conduct me right soberly in all my workes and preserue mee in her power so shall my workes bee acceptable Amen A prayer for a competent liuing Prouerb 30. TWo things Lord I demand that thou wilt not deny mee vntill I dye vanitie and words of leasings remoue farre from me pouertie or riches giue me not onely giue me that is necessarie for my liuing least being in full abundance I might be prouoked to denie thée and say Who is the Lord or being compelled by necessitie I might steale and forsweare the name of God Another Prayer GOod Lord God and swéete Sauiour Iesus Christ the sonne of the euerlasting God grant vnto me most fraile sinner and miserable wretch this grace and mercie that I may euer haue present before the eyes of my soule thy holy life thine example and behauiour and that according to any measure of mercie thou hast béen pleased or shalt be pleased to bestowe vpon me I may in liuing and manners follow the same And cause mee good Lord to profite grow and increase therein to such a notable measure as may be acceptable vnto thée being thine own grace and comfortable to my selfe as comming from thée for the saluation of my soule Lighten Lord and make cleere and bright my heart with the glorious light of thy grace that it euer may goe before mee and follow mee in all my acts so that by thy grace and power conducting and guiding I may accomplish and fulfill al that may please thy goodnes and vtterly eschue and auoide all that in any wise should displease the same Vouchsafe sweete Sauiour I beséech thée to direct and order all my cogitations and thoughts all my spéech and wordes all mine acts and déedes in thy law and commaundements in thy monitions and counsels and take me good Lord wholly so vnto thée that here in all things doing thy will I by grace may bee one of the soules that thou hast appointed to euerlasting saluation thorough Christ Iesus Amen A deuout prayer to our Lord God O LORD which hast vouchsafed of thy vnspeakeable goodnes to make me and ordaine me thy creature to liue in this transitorie life giuing me a reasonable soule by the which inlightned with the truth of thy word I know thée to be my Lord my God and my maker which also I may in some sort well perceiue by the visible sight of thy wonderfull workes as by heauen the earth and the creatures in them contained together with the commodities blessings that we daylie receiue by them at thy hand all which declare the great loue that thou hadest in our first creation and also doe expresse the singular care and prouidence that yet still thou hast for vs and further doe declare to vs thée to be the only God and Lord ouer all and that there is none aboue thée and that there is no wisdome knowledge power or strength of value besides thée and yet further also thou knowing our necessarie néede of thy holy of thy most louing fauour hast not disdained to say to me and to other thy people by thine owne most blessed word to the great comfort of all our consciences Aske and it shall bee giuen séeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you And yet for further declaration of thy great loue toward vs hast most familiarly sayde If we that be euill can giue vnto our children when they aske good things how much more then shall our heauenly Father giue his holy spirit to them that earnestly desire it What a swéete and comfortable saying is this In confidence of this truth O most blessed Lord I wretched sinner doe aske at thy hands mercie and grace confessing my selfe to bee a most wicked and abominable sinner in thy sight most weake of all other to stand to or in thy truth most fraile to fall and readie to breake all thy holy commandements by the kéeping of which we are knowne to bee thy true seruants O most mercifull Lord God I acknowledge my selfe daylie and hourely to breake the same but where I haue thus offended thy diuine Maiestie I humblie for Christ Iesus sake aske of thee mercie and forgiuenes minding by thy most mightie assistance neuer hereafter to offend in the same And Lord that I may bee the better perswaded of the assured performance of the same I humbly aske and desire thy strength continually to make me stand fast in faith thy knowledge and power from thée to worke thy blessed
will thy might to resist all errour and wicked imaginations thy wisedome to know the truth For I confesse and knowe O Lord that all worldly wit policie knowledge and strength is but foolishnes in thy sight Therefore I aske and continually craue good Lord that helpe and most humbly desire that thy holy spirit may guide all the imaginations thoughts and desires of my heart not onely altering in me my fleshly minde but also inabling me in body soule and spirit to serue thy blessed maiestie for this I know the most perfect amongst men lacking thy wisedome are nothing worth And great reason because the thoughts of mortall men are miserable and our forecastes are vncertaine And why Our nature surely is so vitiated and our will so depraued and our vnderstanding so corrupted that it museth most yea altogether on vaine things Therefore good Lord I beséech thée comfort my sicke soule that it may walke in thy lawes and wayes and worke thy will And Lord like as thou knowest the secrets of my heart and the desires of the same and séest indéede that I would verie earnestly walke in thy trueth and worke the workes of the same truth so Lord I beseech thee refresh my soule according to thy mercifull calling where thou saidst Come to me all that labour and are laden and lowly of heart and you shall finde rest to your soules and I shall refresh you O Lord I miserable sinner would gladly labour in acceptable wayes and haue some care that my good will and desire might not swarue from thée but bee wholy bent towardes thée and like as thou knowest the same to bee vnfained in mee because it is thine own worke So Lord refresh me with thy mercifull grace that now and for euer I may bée stedfast in the true faith and that I may be alwayes obedient vnto thy lawes and commaundements and that I may neuer swarue from the holy and blessed ordinances of thy true and catholike Church which is thy spouse and for the most part speaketh thy words of truth and life but that I may vse them receiue them and honour thée in them so farre forth as they concerne thy worship and are according vnto thy most holy will and pleasure as in things which thou hast left to declare thy loue vnto vs and by them to assure our hope and to exercise our faith that it should not bee idle nor wauering whereunto howsoeuer I bee proue thorough the corruption of my nature and Satans malice against me as I am on the other side vnwilling and vnable to doe that which is good yet O Lord sith all things are possible with thée though they séeme neuer so vnpossible to vs help and reach out thy most mightie and mercifull hand O most louing father I know that by my sins I am not worthie thy blessed comfort nay I am most worthie to be depriued of that and all other fauours but Lord sith thou hast said that in what houre soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sins thou wouldest no more remember them and also thou wouldest not despise the sighing of a contrite heart I am bold in confidence and trust of thy mercie méekly and with a lowly heart to call to thée for grace and helpe in this troublous time of temptation and trying of our faith I am as one laden yea ouer laden with ignorance not knowing the height of thy heauenly misteries nor the deceitfull déepnes of the craftie and subtill arguments and perswasions of my ghostly enemies which daylie doe assault my sinfull soule and so burden the same that it can finde no rest Therefore O Lord like as thou knowest my will and heartie desire is to serue thée notwithstanding these suggestions within me and without me and that I haue a desire to liue and dye in thy most holy faith so Lord I beséech thée neuer suffer the subtill perswasions contrarie to thy truth to take place or roote in my heart But like Lord as thou hast created my heart and giuen me in som measure a will to order the same according to thy blessed will so Lord I humbly yéeld the same againe into thy hands desiring thée by thy holy spirit so to direct my wayes words and workes that now and alwayes they may be accepcable in thy sight And good Lord suffer not my soule to perish which thou hast bought so dearely with thy most precious bloud for the which great mercie sake of thine heretofore shewed vnto mee haue mercie on me continually and mak mee poore in spirit and low of heart and content with my vocation submitting my selfe wholy into thy hands so that my desire may bee to thy will and that no desire remaine in me but onely to doe thy will and pleasure And grant I beséech thée that I may haue none other trust but only in thée which art onely to be trusted and all trust it selfe and none besides thée Graunt further O Lord that my poore soule may rest in thée yea in thée alone for thou hast sayd they shall neuer be confounded that put their trust in thée which trust Lord graunt me neuer to forsake for any vaine trust or temptation or tribulation that may any manner of way fal out to vexe my poore soule but graunt me thy holy spirit to comfort and defend mee from all things that should procure thy displeasure As thou art in Trinitie one God and Lord ouer all which liuest and raignest world without end To thée bee all honour glorie and praise for euer Amen A prayer that wee may haue the feare of God before our eyes in all our doings O Almightie and euerlasting God thy holy word teacheth vs that thou art not onely a father but also a Lord not onely a forgiuer but also a reuenger not onely a Sauiour but also a iudge and as thou being a father a forgiuer and a Sauiour doest pardon and shewe mercie so thou being a Lord a reuenger and a iudge punishest and condemnest Neither doth thy holy scripture onely set foorth vnto vs a Gospell which comforteth vs quickneth vs sheweth vs glad and ioyfull tidings forgiueth our sinnes and quieteth our consciences and bringeth vs vnto euerlasting life but also a law which reproueth accuseth condemneth vs woundeth and slayeth our conscience yea and throweth vs down headlong into the déepe dungeon of hell And as the holy Gospell lifteth vs vppe and maketh vs glad with the hope of remission and forgiuenes of our sinnes so doth the lawe plucke vs downe and almost driue vs vnto desperation for feare of thy plagues and euerlasting punishments so that we not onely loue thée as a father a forgiuer a Sauiour but also feare thée as a Lord a reuenger a iudge For asmuch therefore O most gracious God and merciful Sauiour and most righteous iudge as this doth so mightily put away sinne and make vs to walke in the way of thy commaundements namely reuerently to feare thée and to stand in awe
to euerlasting blessednes through Christ Iesus Amen A Prayer against worldly carefulnes O Most deare and tender father our defender and nourisher endue vs with thy grace that wee may cast off the great blindnes of our minds and carefulnes of worldly thinges and may imploy our whole studie and care in kéeping of thy holy lawes and yet that wee may trauaile and labour for our necessities in this life like the birdes of the aire and the lillies of the field without carefulnesse for thou hast promised to be carefull for vs and hast commanded that vpon thée we should cast all our care which liuest and raignest world without ende Amen A Prayer against the diuel IEsu Christ our Lord which by the mouth of thy holy Apostle S. Peter didst say that our aduersarie the diuell goeth about like a roring lyon séeking whom hee may deuour wee know the truth of this by our owne experience and féele that hee is busie and fierce and breaketh in vpon vs so that if thou helpe not hee will soone deceaue vs with his craft ouerturne vs with his might and with his crueltie teare vs in péeces But if thou which hast vanquished him wilt appeare but as it were a farre off thou wilt make him afraide and with thy onely looke put him to slight Vouchsafe O Lord to receiue vs into thy tuition being but infants weake féeble and vnskilful lest the â—â—â—rce and cruell beast all to teare vs yea giue vs grace alwayes not onely to beare before vs the sworde of the spirit in our sight and to tarrie it in our hands but also couragiously to vse it as from thée that so our enemies may well know that we doe our busines by thy counsaile aid and strength and in thy power may bee put to flight to thy glorie and our euerlasting comfort through Christ Amen A thankes-giuing vnto God for all his benefites WE verie humbly in Christ thanke thée O heauenly Father for thy manifold and inestimable benefits which thou hast giuen to vs both for our soules and bodies yea and that fréely of thine owne goodnes not onely without but contrarie to our deseruing We thanke thée that it hath pleased thee of thy great mercie first to create and make vs according to thine owne image and likenes and to place vs in ioyfull Paradise where we should haue continually remained in a blessed and quiet state if through the subtile and deceitfull suggestions of Satan our old enemie we had not transgressed thy holy commandements We thanke thee also O most gentle Father for thy louing kindnes which thou shewedst to vs when wee were all perished and lost through the sinne of our first parents Adam and Heua For when thou mightest iustly haue condemned vs and cast vs into perpetuall damnation thou like a father of singular great loue hadst pitty on vs and sauedst vs by the death and passion of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all our sinnes and payed a sufficient price by his precious bloud for all the wickednesse that wee at any time heretofore haue committed or hereafter shall commit through our frailtie and weakenes so that wee beléeue thy promises and repent and amend our liues Neither wast thou thus contented that hee onely should die for our sinnes but also diddest raise him vp againe for our iustification and to make vs righteous in thy sight Moreouer after that he had shewed himselfe vnfainedly to liue to his Apostles by manifest and euident tokens certainelie through the power of his Godhead hee ascended vp into heauen perfect God and perfect man where he now sitteth on thy right hande and maketh intercession for vs being our alone mediator and aduocate from thence we looke for him to come againe at the day of iudgement not as a fearefull Iudge to condemne and cast vs away but as a most louing Lord and gentle Sauiour to carry vs with him into euerlasting glorie there world without end to remaine in such ioyes as eye hath not seene nor eare hath not heard nor yet any heart is able to thinke For these thy most bounteous giftes and for all other thy benefites which thou daylie giuest to vs of thy great mercie both for our body and soule wee humbly thanke thee most mercifull Father beséeching thee to giue vs grace through thy holy spirit not to bee either vnmind full of them or vnthankefull for them but to walke worthy of this thy kindnes and so behaue our selues all our life time in this wretched world according to thy holy will that at the last day we may bee found in the number of them to whom thy onely begotten soone shall say Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of this world Lord let it so come to passe euen for Christ Iesus sake Amen A deuout Prayer to bee daylie sayd O Almighty and eternal God which vouchsafedst that wee as it were heauenly children should euery one of vs call thee our heauenly father Grant that among vs by purenes and example of innocent life thy most holy name may bee sanctified that all other nations beholding our goodnesse and vertuous liuing that thou workest in vs may bee stirred to hallow and glorifie thée Grant O Lord that the kingdome of thy grace and mercie in this life may so rule and raigne continually in our hearts that we may bee by thée accepted and accounted as worthie in Christ to bee partakers of thy kingdome of glorie and maiestie in the life to come Grant that vnto the very death yea and in death it selfe also wee refuse not to follow thy diuine will but that wee according to the example of the celestiall citizens agréeing together quietly vnited in spirit all controuersie in opinions contrarie to thy holy truth being laide apart and the lust of the flesh being subdued and the flattering assaults of the world and the diuell ouercome we may willingly faithfully and constantly obey thy blessed will in all things Graunt O Lord for our bodie such a measure of necessarie and néedefull sustenance that thereby we may be the better enabled more freely and hearefully to serue thée and abound in all good workes towards thy saints and seruants here vpon earth knowing that our goodnesse reacheth not to thee but to the excellent that are in the world whom wee beseech thée make vs more and more to delight in and to loue for thy sake Giue me grace O Lord not onely patiently to beare and suffer our enemies and such as hate vs together with the iniuries which they doe lay vpon vs making good vse of them for thy glorie and our instruction but also vnfaignedly to forget and forgiue whatsoeuer they haue deuised sayd or done against vs euen as wee our selues would gladly obtayne at thy mercifull hands and féele in our selues the frée pardon and full forgiuenesse of all our transgressions And for such temptations